New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-10
LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS.
INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONERS wRIGHr-HoW
THE INDIANS TRACK THE WILDERNESS.

INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONERS wRIGHT-How
THE INDIANA TRACK THE WILDERNESS.
WASHINGTON, July tSpeciaD. -Ex-Congressman
Wright, OF Tennessee, who became involved In pcr-
sonal alteration with John Sherman when both were
members of the House Of Representatives before the
war, IL chairman Of the commission appointed O
negotiate with the Chppewas and othernorthern tribes
for the surrender VI their reservations and the trans
formation of the tribal into the ini
yidual relation so far a. their tito
10 land is concerned. Mr. Wright has given to a
reporter rather interesting account Of the
experiences In the Indian country OF the commission
OF which he IL chairman. Some OF tho features vi As
description viii DO readily recognized by TRIBUNE
readers whose fortune it has been to travel among
tho Northwestern tribes and his account VIII DO Of
general interest In this day OF Pullman coaches and
rapid transit. In part Mr. Wright said:
it like exploring now country some OF ths
tribes arc almost inaccessible Tneir abodes can De
reached only BY tho aid OF Indian guides Ihcso
nas traI el anywhere through pdtniess iorests,
when would DO impeneuable 70 White man mo
nuans know tie tees and the elevations Just as you
know tho strcoOs In Washington, ami they can 10
scribe localities TO each other 80 that they can unde-
stand Just where II ~ though buried IN the sery uo
OF the wilderness, a trackless as the ocean one
Indian can tell another at Just what Tree In Tho vast
forest he has hidden something, SO TIE other can
20 and find Ii, though 1t may DO hundred muet
away they traverse the forests and seem to k9% s~
seem 10 know every tree. some Of tho tribes
nnoivlli1od as those OF Whom Cooper wrote n9
some of the tribes About the groups OF small Lakes
that form the hea1watcrs Of the grea Mississippi IN
could be reached only by means OF Olfch
bark canoes We travelled for 200 miles In these fran
crafts through most beautiful and wildly romantic
region. -, j,
transport The largest OF the lakes are probably
twenty miles wide BY thirty long, and they an:
strung together by the winding thread % the Mlssls
slppi before n starts on It's bold southern course
Tho lakes right In among the forests and sometimes
impossible to 20 upon them In tho canoes. We
travelled In true Indian style. Each canoe waa
paddloi by a savage, and they were managed with
great skill. Three were the most that could go IN
The Indians could easily carry the boats on thela
heads when tboy took them from the water We
landed for our meals and camped In the forests at
the edec Of the water at night The forests werc
Glled with and the waters with the finest hsh.
There seventeen In the party. guides and al:
and the Indians would catch enough fish a. we moved
dinner. Some OF the party would 90 on shore and
shoot game. One Indian a0no In his canoe would
60 aheal Of the party and shoot ducks on thc lake
lie would paddle up and shoot and then take up his
to count the rerorts OF his gun and then count tho
game and he generally had something for every sho',
One day counted sixteen shots and he brought
back fftcen ducks We had contrct with mo
Transportation and the game thcv killed furnished US
with food In OF the canoes was distributed
our luggage. while ohers carried the Passengers. and
we had arinners" who went very rapidly In advance
with. We would land at certain places. where tho
Indians would meet liz by appointment Some OF
the meetings would be held in oldtime savage fashion
the woods the shores OF the lakes and the pines
would DO nassed around and the Indians would mako
haranges. Generally stonped NJ the missions.
and the Indians assembled there 10 confer with us
Theao missOns ore the work OF the Catholic priests
md sisters and whe-ever they located the Indians
have reached derree Of civilization. About tho
missions thev generally short hair and civilized
dress, and are moro or less thirty.